Skin tanning refers to the natural pigmentation of the skin. However, an excess of tan is harmful.
What is tanning?
Skin tanning is understood to be the natural pigmentation of the skin. However, an excess of tan is harmful. Skin tanning is a strategy of the human skin to build up a protection against ultraviolet radiation. Thus, UV rays pose a risk of skin damage. To a certain extent, skin tanning can provide protection from the sun’s rays. Within the skin cells, different systems attempt to repair damage caused by UV radiation. However, it takes a period of two to three weeks for the skin’s own protection, which consists of tanning and light callus, to build up. Culturally, tanning is perceived positively by people – this has not always been the case. However, tanning is damage control for the body.
Function and task
Skin tanning, which is caused by the influence of the sun, is considered by scientists to be a trick of evolution that serves as an adaptation. Without the browning of the skin, humans would not have been able to survive their migrations across the world over the past few decades-thousands of years that have taken them from Africa to the north and east. Unlike most animal species, humans are not equipped with fur or feathers. A protective shield built into the skin serves as protection against the sun’s harmful UV radiation. This is formed by the interaction of different mechanisms. First, the upper horny layer of the skin is thickened by the sun’s rays, resulting in the formation of the light callus. The light callus has the task of reflecting and scattering the incident light, which to a certain extent leads to a radiation barrier. On the other hand, pigment cells are increasingly formed. These melanocytes in turn produce the brownish-black pigment melanin. This substance causes a dark discoloration of the skin by wrapping itself around the skin cell nuclei. In this way, they can be protected from UV rays. The higher the melanin production, the darker the skin appears. However, since this process takes a certain amount of time, the tan only becomes noticeable after two to four days. In addition, there is a self-protection time for the skin, which also works without the formation of melanin and light callus. How long the self-protection time lasts depends on the respective skin type. For very light skin types, for example, it lasts only about three minutes. However, if there is already a pre-tan, the self-protection time can be extended somewhat. A significant extension of self-protection is possible by applying sunscreen. The tanning of the skin is caused by the influence of light and other factors. These include salt spray, wind and even rain. These influences cause a mild stimulus to the skin. In turn, a positive effect of sunbathing is the supply of vitamin D, because the need can be met by ultraviolet light. For the most part, people consider the tanning of the skin to be positive. Thus, numerous sun worshippers lie down in the sun outdoors so that their skin tans. Others regularly visit tanning salons or use solariums, where they expose themselves to artificial UV rays. A tan is considered healthy and conforms to the common Western ideal of beauty. However, skin tanning has only been considered positive in Western countries since the 20th century. Before that, tanned skin was considered more of a feature of the working class, who toiled outdoors, while the aristocracy presented themselves as nobly pale.
Diseases and ailments
Although tanned skin is viewed positively by most people, it is not always a sign of health. Even trying to get a tan can cause damage to the skin, such as sunburn. In this case, an excess of sunlight causes an acute inflammation of the skin. It is usually accompanied by pain, redness, itching and swelling. Sometimes the development of blisters is also possible. The peak of sunburn appears after one or two days. It usually disappears after 14 days. In some cases, the desire for tanned skin can even become addictive. Doctors then speak of a tanning addiction or tanorexia. The lives of tanning addicts are determined by the urge to constantly tan their skin.So they take every opportunity to sunbathe outdoors or in a solarium. If they do not succeed in doing so, they exhibit real withdrawal symptoms. These include sleep disturbances, nervousness and depression. Only after extensive sunbathing does the mood of a tanorexic improve again. Even if there is already extensive tanning, many of those affected still consider themselves too pale and therefore unattractive. Thus, the self-esteem of tanorexics is extremely dependent on their skin tan. For this reason, some tanorexics even visit a tanning salon every day. However, the consequences of excessive tanning are serious. For example, the skin ages more quickly and pigment spots appear more frequently. The appearance of these spots also increases the risk of skin cancer, as UV light can cause them to degenerate into malignant melanoma. To reduce the risk of skin cancer, the German Cancer Aid advises more health-conscious behavior when sunbathing. Every year, more than 200,000 new cases of skin cancer occur in Germany. More than 2000 people die from it every year.
